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(No Model.)

M. E. INGRAM.

SLATE AND BLAGKBOABD ERASER. I No. 287,381. Patented Oct. 23, 1883.

N. PETERS, Phniblllhognpher. Washingtnn. I)v C.

NITED STATES PATENT Qrrrc A MILQ E. INGRAM, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWVO- THIRDS TO JOHN A. GILLELAND AND CHRISTIAN STEFFEN, JR, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

SLATE AND BLACKB OARD ERASER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,381, dated October 23, 1883,

Application filed April 20,1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILO E. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny city, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slate and Blackboard Erasers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompa- 1 nying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the production of a new and improved slate and blackboard eraser, and has for its object the production of a cheap, durable, and efficient article especially adapted for use in public schools, &c., and incapable of inflicting any serious injury upon the scholars if broken during play.

Heretofore an eraser composed of a small glass bottle for the reception of water, provided with a sponge inserted within its mouth, and having a cloth pad attached at its base, has been introduced into someof the public schools; but its use has been discontinued on account of the following reasons, viz: It has been found that the children are in the habit of carrying the slate-erasers in their pockets,

that the articles are very likely to be broken 0 during play, and are apt to and in many cases have inflicted severe wounds upon their owners. These erasers have also been constructed of sheet metal, the latter first bent into the shape of two frustums of cones and the frustums joined together at their smaller ends.

This metal vessel, if subjected to knocks or pressure, becomes bent, and the seams are liable to open and render the eraser useless.

Furthermore, the acute-angled corners or edges are liable to inflict injury upon the person carrying them, in the same manner as the glass bottle.

In the production of my improved form of eraser I propose to obviate or do away with the dangerous characteristic of such former devices by, first, constructing the body of the article of wood, and, secondly, by enveloping the body of the article or covering it in such -a manner with the pad as to prevent the sharp I edges from coming into contact with the hands or person of the child if brokenduring play or from other causes.

In the drawings, Figure l is a-perspective and a cork which closes an aperture at the top for the admission of water from time to time, as may be required, into the water-chambers. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the body of the wooden block.

A indicates a fiat block of wood or other material not liable to present sharp edges if fractured. It may be made of an oblong rectangular shape, and have all the corners beveled off, if desired, or may be made somewhat oval, or merely rectangular in form.

a, a, a and a indicate a set of vertical and a set of lateral chambers drilled into the block and communicating with each other for the reception of the cleansing-fluid. The ends of the chambers a and a are closed by the insertion of water-tight plugs, '(not shown,) which are driven into the apertures at the end of the block, thus forming an interior water-tight apartment open only at the upper ends of the chambers a and a, which extend up through the top of the block.

13 indicates a small sponge, which is forcibly compressed and driven partially into the upper portion of the chamber a, tightly filling the same, so as to prevent the free escape of water through said orifice, but allowing a slight saturation of the sponge upon an inversion of the block.

0 indicates a detachable cork or plug adapted to fit tightly into and close the orifice a after the block has been charged with water.

D indicates the pad or bandage, which envelopes the sides and ends of the block. This pad is preferably formed by winding several thicknesses of some absorbent textile material around the block, so as to give a cushioned surface to the eraser.

In the use of the eraser the cork or stopper 0 is Withdrawn and water is poured into the water-chambers. The cork is then replaced, and the eraser may be used from time to time, as desired, by reversing it.and rubbing the sponge over the slate until the surface of the latter is cleansed, at which time the padded surface is passed over the slate and the moisture upon the same is absorbed by the pad, so that a fresh, clean surface is obtained.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

As an article of manufacture, a slate or blackboard eraser consisting of a wooden block, A, having pads D upon its four sides,

vertical chambers a a, the former provided with a sponge. B, and the latter with a removable stopper, 0, and horizontal chambers a a provided with plugs, substantially as and for the purposes described.

MILO E. INGRAM. Witnesses:

FRANK M. REESE, WALTER 

